Tavuk şiş recipe: Turkish chicken skewers in yoghurt and pepper paste
Tavuk şiş (‘chicken on a skewer’) is the kebab that most people order when they are not sure what to order, and for good reason. Chunks of chicken are marinated in yoghurt, red pepper paste, garlic and lemon until tender, then threaded onto skewers and cooked over hot coals until the edges char and the inside stays juicy. Wrapped in warm flatbread with onions and parsley, it is hard to beat.
Şiş is the Turkish word for skewer, and meat grilled on skewers, the shish kebab, has a very long history across the Middle East and the Mediterranean. The Levantine shish taouk takes its name from the same Turkish words. At home a barbecue gives the best flavour, but a hot grill or oven does a good job.
What is tavuk şiş?
Tavuk şiş is a staple of Turkish grill restaurants, from the ocakbaşı (a restaurant where meat is grilled over an open charcoal hearth in front of diners) to the corner kebab shop. It is usually served on a plate with rice or bulgur pilav, grilled peppers and tomatoes, or wrapped as a dürüm in lavaş (thin flatbread).
The marinade
Yoghurt is the base: its mild acidity helps keep the chicken tender over high heat. Red pepper paste (biber salçası) gives colour and a gentle sweetness, and garlic, lemon, olive oil and spices do the rest. Some cooks add grated onion juice or milk, and some make it spicier with extra pul biber.
Breast or thigh
Restaurants often use breast for neat cubes, but boneless thighs are more forgiving at home. They stay juicy even if slightly overcooked, and the fat crisps nicely over the coals.
Ingredients
Serves 4 (8 skewers).
For the marinade
- 150g thick plain yoghurt
- 1 tbsp Turkish red pepper paste (biber salçası)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp pul biber (Turkish chilli flakes)
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried thyme or oregano
- 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper
For the skewers
- 800g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3–4cm pieces
- 1 tbsp melted butter or olive oil, for brushing
To serve
- 4 lavaş or other thin flatbreads
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced and mixed with 1 tsp sumac and a handful of parsley
- 4 long green peppers and 2 tomatoes, grilled
How to make tavuk şiş
1. Make the marinade
In a large bowl, mix the yoghurt, pepper paste, tomato paste, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, spices, herbs, salt and pepper until smooth.
2. Marinate the chicken
Add the chicken and turn until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before you start cooking.
3. Thread the skewers
Take the chicken out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking. Thread it onto 8 skewers, packing the pieces close together but not squashed. Wipe off thick clumps of marinade, which burn.
4. Grill over high heat
Cook over a hot barbecue, with the coals glowing and covered in white ash, for 10–12 minutes, turning every 2–3 minutes, until charred in spots and cooked through (75°C in the centre, or no pink when you cut the thickest piece). Indoors, cook under a hot grill on a rack, or roast on a rack over a tray at 230°C (210°C fan) for 18–20 minutes, turning once.
5. Rest and brush
Brush the skewers with melted butter as they come off the heat and rest for 3 minutes. Warm the flatbreads briefly on the grill so they soak up the juices.
6. Serve
Slide the chicken off the skewers onto the flatbread and serve with the sumac onions and grilled peppers and tomatoes, or roll it up as a wrap.
Watch: how to make tavuk şiş
This video shows an oven method that works well when the weather rules out the barbecue.
Tips for the best tavuk şiş
- Use thighs for juicier skewers, or brine breast pieces in salted water for 30 minutes before marinating.
- Cut the chicken into even pieces so they cook at the same rate.
- Do not marinate for more than 24 hours; the yoghurt and lemon start to make the texture mushy.
- Get the grill properly hot before the skewers go on, so the outside chars before the inside dries out.
- Flat metal skewers grip the meat and stop it spinning when you turn them.
- Lay the flatbread over the cooked skewers for a minute to catch the juices, the way ocakbaşı cooks do.
What to serve with tavuk şiş
Serve tavuk şiş with bulgur pilav or rice, a bowl of kısır and a jug of ayran. For a mixed grill, cook it alongside Adana kebab and ızgara köfte, and finish with a hot künefe.
Where to eat tavuk şiş in London
Almost every Turkish grill in London has tavuk şiş on the menu, often cooked over charcoal. Browse our ocakbaşı and grill listings, and read our guide to the best ocakbaşı in London.
- Best Mangal 1996 – Turkish ocakbaşı & grill in Fulham
- 19 Numara Bos Cirrik II – Turkish ocakbaşı & grill in Dalston & Stoke Newington
- Diyarbakır Kitchen – Turkish ocakbaşı & grill in Harringay & Green Lanes
- Dorom Turkish Grill – Turkish ocakbaşı & grill in Colindale
- Ana’more – Turkish ocakbaşı & grill in Lewisham
- Beyzade Turkish Kitchen – Turkish meze & fine dining in Putney
See all 199 Ocakbaşı & Grill places in London
Tavuk şiş FAQs
What does tavuk şiş mean?
Tavuk is Turkish for chicken and şiş means skewer, so tavuk şiş simply means chicken on a skewer.
Is tavuk şiş the same as shish taouk?
They are close relatives. Shish taouk is the Levantine version, which takes its name from the Turkish words and is often marinated with more garlic and lemon.
Can I cook tavuk şiş in an air fryer?
Yes. Use short skewers that fit the basket and cook at 200°C for 12–14 minutes, turning halfway, until cooked through and charred at the edges.
How long should I marinate the chicken?
At least 4 hours, ideally overnight, and no more than 24 hours.
Photo: E4024, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
